Suspect Arrested in Deadly Triple Shooting at Little Haiti Karnival

Jamesly Mezime, 22, of North Miami Beach, was arrested Thursday following a felony traffic stop on Biscayne Boulevard near 38th Street, according to Miami Police Department statements. The shooting occurred just before 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, 2026, near the main stage at the second annual Taste of Miami Karnival, a celebration of Haitian and Caribbean heritage at Northeast 2nd Avenue and 62nd Street in Little Haiti. Officers responding to gunfire found 23-year-old Kitchner Cyrille suffering a gunshot wound to the chest; he was pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. Two others were injured: Cyrille’s cousin, shot multiple times, remains in recovery, and an unidentified woman, shot in the leg, was released from the hospital, police said. Surveillance video reviewed by detectives shows a fight between Mezime and Cyrille near the main stage, after which Mezime allegedly drew a handgun and fired, Miami police spokesperson Michael Vega stated in a department release. Video also captured associates rifling through Cyrille’s pockets before fleeing. A witness identified Mezime as the ex-boyfriend of the female victim. Mezime claimed self-defense during questioning, telling detectives he fired twice in the victim’s legs, but video evidence contradicts this, per the police report. He faces one count of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. In bond court Friday, a judge ordered him held without bond at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and barred contact with surviving victims. The incident has stunned Little Haiti residents, marring a festival meant to unite the community through food, music and culture. A candlelight vigil honored Cyrille as family grieves. Police are seeking additional witnesses and video; tips can be submitted to Miami PD’s Criminal Investigations Division at (305) 579-6111. This shooting comes amid heightened public safety worries in South Florida, highlighted by a fatal DUI crash involving a Cybertruck driver in Miami-Dade and a serial burglary ring bust in Tampa Bay, per state reports. As Florida grapples with surging foreclosures — third worst nationally due to insurance crises — residents face dual pressures of financial strain and crime, underscoring the need for community vigilance at local events.